Tonight, You Are Mine
by Gater101
Summary: OneShot. Tonight, he thought, you are mine.


Title: Tonight, You Are Mine  
Summary: He had grown up steeped in the traditions of two cultures. Future fic  
Characters: Grae, Beya, John, Teyla  
Pairing: John/Teyla, Teyla/Kanaan, Grae/Beya  
Rating: K

**Notes: **This is a response to the Beya Valentine's challenge. The background to this story can be found in my series "Indomitable" but this is NOT a continuation of it, or an epilogue. It is a completely separate entity, and has relations to _Indomitable _only because I was too lazy to think up another back story. HOWEVER if you choose to read it as an epilogue, that is okay too.

Tonight, You Are Mine

Grae had grown up steeped in the traditions of two cultures. The city of Atlantis was rich with many different traditions from the people of Earth; from Christmas to Ramadan, Veteran's day to Empire Day, July fourth to November fifth. The traditions of Athosia were simpler, celebrating the turning of a new year, a good harvest and the birth of a child. There were certain Earth traditions, though, that his Athosian customs would not allow him to comprehend.

He'd had it explained to him (romantically from the women, cynically from Rodney) and yet, his mother's words rung in his ears – "_there need not be a day where we show our true feelings for one; we must show them at all times_". He understood his mother's reasoning – he knew that she was right – but he still found himself being drawn in by the romanticism that seeped through the city when Valentine's Day came calling. He'd had fifteen years of it and each year he came to understand it more and more and maybe even anticipate it.

His father had cajoled him about his interest in one of the young Athosians and although Grae denied it, his father never let it settle. His father had even taken him aside on one of his latest visits to Atlantis and told him of the way a man and woman were 'together', as he'd called it; Grae had left the room with a red face and a scarred mind.

Thinking of his father, he was momentarily saddened. As often as he saw his father, he knew it wasn't enough. He missed him when he went away and although Ronon and Rodney and Evan tried, there was something he knew was missing. He knew his mother felt it too. He couldn't quite explain the relationship between his parents – it wasn't the typical relationship he'd seen between members of the Atlantis expedition. All he knew was that he had a mother and a father who loved one another more than anyone he'd ever seen.

No one ever really spoke about his mother and father's relationship; when he asked their closest friends they would always smile and shake their heads, muttering something about it being complicated. At first, he'd accepted it but now he found he couldn't. Sometimes he went months without seeing his father and he could see the toll it took on his mother, yet when he stepped through the Stargate, she never advanced upon him, never rushed to him and smothered him; she always waited for him to come to her. And, inevitably, he always did.

Grae could see, even through his seventeen year old eyes, the love that lingered between his parents. Even after fifteen years, he'd only ever seen his parents kiss once, when his father had made it back for New Year celebrations.

Grae shook himself from his thoughts and moved to stand before the mirror, taking in his appearance. He'd decided that he'd wear Earth clothes for the Valentine's dinner dance and he 

hoped the distinction caught Beya's attention. He sighed as he patted his unruly, spiky hair though he knew it would do no good – his father told him it was something to do with activity in the womb, though Grae wasn't so sure. He wore a white shirt with an open neck and jeans and he tugged on a dinner jacket, smiling at the clothes his father had brought from Earth the last time he'd been there. He flashed a confident smile in the direction of his reflection and shuffled slightly.

It was then he heard the alarms in the city and he rushed from his room, knowing who would be coming through the Stargate. When he reached the control room, he paused as he descended the steps, a look of sheer horror crossing his features.

When his gaze met his father's, they both eyed the other then promptly erupted in laughter. His father stood before him, dressed in jeans, a white open neck shirt and dinner jacket. His mother turned at the laughter and a smile promptly lit up her face. Grae ran down the steps and stopped briefly in front of his father before being enveloped in a bear hug. He smiled and reciprocated with the same ferocity. He missed these moments with his father. When he pulled back, he looked to his mother to see the bouquet of burgundy roses in her arms and smiled.

Despite his tight schedule, John Sheppard always made it back for this special day. Even his mother's words seemed hypocritical when Grae saw how much she anticipated these visits. Every year for as long as Grae could remember, his father had arrived with a bouquet of flowers from Earth, a different type of flower each year. Even though Grae had seen the rose before, he'd never seen any quite so beautiful as the ones in his mother's arms.

"You look very..." John trailed off and Grae smiled. "Dressing up for anyone in particular?" He saw the familiar sparkle in his father's eyes and he returned the charming smile.

"Well, you know, Carter and I had a great night last year." The comment earned him a cuff about the ear and he and his father entered into a battle of fists for a while until his mother split them up.

"All right you two, that is enough." Grae looked down sheepishly, and a glance out of the corner of his eye showed him his father in the same position. "Thank you, John, for these." Grae smiled as his mother moved to kiss John's cheek. "I will be ready shortly. Perhaps you can have a talk with Grae about his studies." Grae narrowed his eyes at his mother and she smiled contritely back at him, her lips pursed, eyebrows raised. He felt his father's hand on his shoulder and he instantly rolled his eyes. "I will see you both later."

When Grae turned to start walking away, he turned to his father and found him staring after his mother as she walked away. Grae frowned; something was different.

(_TYAM)_

Grae shifted in his seat nervously as he waited for Beya to return; she'd promised him a dance but first, she'd excused herself to the toilet, an entourage of girls flocking after her. He wondered if they were talking about him in the large room, his voice echoing off the walls as they giggled in between.

His eyes shifted to the dance floor where many couples had convened to the slow thrum of the music. He'd lost sight of his mother and father but he knew they were out there. He smiled as he remembered his father's face when Teyla had arrived and his eyes had never left hers since. Grae had even managed to make a joke about American Football and his father hadn't even batted an eyelid.

He found his mind wondering what it would be like to have his mother and father together. He knew that there was much water beneath their bridge and he knew that they'd come to accept whatever their relationship was now. He thought to the story of his brother, to the story he'd been told about his conception and he felt something tug in his heart. He would never admit to anyone but he was rather taken in by the story of his mother and father's love. He would have no problems if they ended up together – in fact, he was pretty sure he and Ronon would be the first to congratulate them.

His eyes found them, pressed delicately, intricately together in the centre of the dance floor, his mother's temple resting against his father's jaw. He let his mind wander and he heard the city whispering words to him that he couldn't decipher but were all too familiar. He was lost in the city when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and smiled up at Beya as she hovered uncertainly before him.

Rising, he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

He smiled as she rested her temple against his jaw, nodded to his father who raised an amused eyebrow and sighed into her hair.

_Tonight, _he thought, _you are mine._

_(TYAM)_

"I see he got the girl," John murmured close to Teyla's ear. He could feel her lips curve against his throat and he pulled back to look at her face. "What?" He whispered slowly, his eyes taking in her face.

She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and it was at moments like these that he regretted the choices they'd made. When he'd seen her come towards him in the dress he'd sent her for Christmas, the emerald green fabric hugging her figure, he'd felt all those certain feelings flooding through him. He'd felt the city urge him towards her, comforting his erratic nerves and he'd pulled her into his arms almost straight away, where she'd stayed for the most part of the night.

"Was there ever any doubt?"

John smirked and shook his head, his lip curving into a proud, cocky grin.

"I suppose not," he replied and tugged her against him again. "Why'd you say that?"

"In your Earth stories, he always does."

And then John felt something snap, the last of his restraint and he pulled back. He knew she could feel the change too, as his fingers trailed up her spine, across her shoulder blades and into her hair. His eyes caught hers and he murmured her name. She lowered her eyes to his lips and before his body could comprehend what was happening, he was kissing her back. Softly, gently, loving.

He smiled against her lips.

_Tonight, _he thought, _you are mine. _


End file.
